Cairo 360

Speak of a gift that keeps on giving. The latest of Egypt’s discoveries comes in the form of a 4,400-year-old, intact and unlooted tomb in the heart of Saqqara. This new discovery is dubbed as a “one of a kind find in recent decades”, thanks to its well-preserved nature and vibrant colours.

The ancient necropolis of Saqqara is home to tons of tombs and other Pharaonic monuments, but this discovery trumps most of the recent ones thanks to its hieroglyphs, statues, and intact colours. On Saturday, officials announced the latest find, and their drive to excavate the site even further, with archaeologists firmly believing that there is more to be found in this site.

Dating back to the rule of Neferirkare Kakai, the newly-discovered tomb of ‘Wahtye’ has been found in excellent condition, completely untouched for 4,400 years, since the rule of the third King of the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. During excavation, archaeologists found five shafts which promise further finds. While one of them was unsealed and empty, the four others were sealed, and one of them in particular is expected to hold excellent discoveries. We will know all that for sure once these shafts are excavated during the upcoming days.

The tomb, 10-metre long, three-metre wide, and three-metres high, is decorated with hieroglyphs and statues of pharaohs. What took the archaeologists by surprise is that the colours are in almost pristine condition, despite the tomb dating back 4,400 years. Hieroglyphs show scenes of a person with his mother, wife, and family, in addition to coloured statues carved into the walls of the tomb.

Archaeologists found this tomb buried in a ridge, and are planning to continue excavations in January, searching for more tombs in the area. We share their same hope, and believe that such discoveries will continue to boost tourism in Egypt, maintaining belief that we’re getting back to our prime.